Planking for bridges, etc.



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Patented May 9 0..E. BRAY. PLANKING Fon BRIDGES, ETC. APPLICATION FILED sgPT.

0. E. BRAY.

PLANKNG FOR BRIDGES, ETC.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. i920.

Patented May 9, 1922. SHEET HEET 2.

0. E. BRAY.

PLANKING FOR BRIDGES, ETC. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1920.

Patented May 9, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Ulalllf@ TTES OSCAR E. BRAY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR' O ONE-HALF 'FO GEORGE C.

` BROADBOOKS, OF ATTICA, NEW YORK.

PLANKNG FOR BBDG-ES, ETC.v

Specification of Letters Iatent.

ratenteu May 9,1922.

Application ledseptember 9, 1920. Serial No. 409,136.

To all whom t may concern.' j

Be it known that I, @scan E. BRAY, a lcitizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flanking for Bridges, Etc., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a construction which is more particularly designed for use as a floor for bridges although the same may also be used to advantage in roofs and floors l or ceilings of buidlings.

The object of this invention is to 'produce a planking for the floors of bridges and other structures which is relatively low in original cost, comparatively light and strong and not liable to increase in weight after being installed by absorbing water, which is practically free from. wear and thus insures low expense for maintaining the saine in its most efficient condition, and which is so organized that the load upon the same is distributed over a wide area of the planking.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentray vertical longitudinal section of a bridge embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a cross section of the same taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same. Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plank constructed in accordance with 1mprovements.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In thefdrawings which show my invention embodied in a bridge, 10 represents the longitudinal beams, joists 0r girders which are arranged parallel and spaced suitable distances apart and form the main support of the bridge and rest at their ends on piers or foundations 11. l

On top of the beams is mounted my improved flooring which comprises a plurality of planks which are arranged side by side crosswise on the beams. Each of these planks has its body made of concrete which -is preferably of channel or U-shaped in a depression of one plank to be transmitted to adjacent'planks and also prevent leakage longitudinal keys or splines 15 each of4 which is seated firmly on its opposite sides in the grooves on the opposing surfaces of two adjacent planks. The keys are preferably constructed of wood and soaked in creosote before inserting the same between the planks to render them water proof and prevent the samefrom rotting and insuring a tight oint between the planks.

As an` additional means of sealing the joints between the plank and preventing leakage, the upper part of each joint above the key therein may be filled, as shown at 16, with any'suitable sealing medium such as pitch, tar, cement or leadite.

For the purpose of strengthening the planks the same are reinforced by metal embedded in the concrete body of the plank. rlhis reinforcement'is preferably organized as follows:

17, 17 represent two lower longitudinalreinforcing bars arranged lengthwise in the lower parts of the flanges of the concrete in the body and each consisting of an upright bar 19, an upper hook 20 engaging over one of the upper longitudinal l'bars and a f lower hook 21 engaging under the companion lower longitudinal bar, land a plurality of horizontal transverse bars 22 arranged crosswise at suitable intervals in the web of the body and each being substantially as wide as said body and engaging its opposite ends under the upper longitudinal bars. These bars and hangers are arranged in this relative position in the mold in which the body of the plank is formed preparatory to pouring the soft concrete in the mold and enclosing the reinforcing members. The plank is by this means reinforced in a most effective manner with a minimum amount of metal which is so distributed that no part of the metal is exposed to the corrosive actionv I verse'rods 22 extend close to the outer vertical-sides ot the concrete body and are also close to and overhang the upper sides of the longitudinal grooves 'la thereof, `whereby the upper sides or corners of these grooves are strengthened and not liable to be broken oii or 'chipped during handling or transportation and permit oi' fitting the same properly `to other planks oflilre construction.

Any suitable covering' may be placed on top of the viieoring to serve asa wearing surface for the traliic running over the same. For insnnce, as shown in the drawings, the

l covering may consist or" a lover base layer or coat 23 or' asphaltic pitch or cement and an upper wearing llayer or coat 24; of asphaltic pitch or cement and tine gravel.

InV order to hold the planks against spreading on the beams, trenches are dug in the ground at opposite ends or the beams and these are filled with abutments 25 ofconcrete,l so that the upper surface ofthe `same is level withv the top of the planking, as

shown in Fig. l, after which the roadway above the abutments may be inished with a surfacing 26 similar to that on the planking or any other suitable manner.

l `claim as my invention: y

A plank having a concrete body7 consisting of a horizontal web and vertical flanges depending rom opposite longitudinal edges olf the web and each flange being provided on its outer side with a horizontal longitudinal groove, and a reinforcement for said body consisting of a plurality of transverse metal bars arranged in a longitudinal row in the' web and each extending substantially the full width or said body and having its opposite ends arranged immediately above the longitudinal grooves in, said anges, two upper metal longitudinal, rods arranged in the body at the corners'between its web and flanges and resting on said transverse rods, a plurality of metal hangers arranged vertically at intervals inveach of said tianges throughout' the length thereof and each provided at its upper end with a hook engaging over one of said upper longitudinal rods and provided at its lower end with a lower hook, yand a lower 'metal-longitudinal rod arranged lengthwisein the lower parto'f each flange and supported by the lower hooks of the hangers in the respective flange of the body. v

OSCAR E. BRAY. 

